For several decades, doorways in apartments and private houses have been decorated with arches. This element fills the space with sophistication, sophistication and high cost. It is also noteworthy that such a decoration fits perfectly into any interior.
Most often, an arch is installed in the kitchen and in the space between the corridor and the dining room. Modern designs are so diverse that they can simultaneously be both decoration and a very functional piece of furniture. And about what options for arches today can be used in design projects and what functions they perform, read our article.
For what purpose are arches installed between the room and the kitchen?
The installation of the arch in the spacious kitchen is carried out for two purposes:
- decorate the room;
- highlight several zones in a large space.
If you want to draw a line between the area for eating and the place of its preparation, you do not have to build a wall. The arch will perfectly cope with this task.
The arched opening allows you to visually divide the room into two independent parts and at the same time emphasize the unity of the interior. At the same time, the space remains airy, not cluttered and acquires a very stylish decor.
For owners of a small living space, this design is also very useful. If we are talking about a studio apartment, then installing the arch will allow you to separate the kitchen from the living room, without reducing the square of both spaces.
An arch is often installed in the kitchen instead of a door. Such a move allows you to expand a small room, combine it with an adjacent room or corridor. As a result, the apartment becomes much more spacious, and the interior - unusual and attractive.
The appearance of such an opening may have different. The main difference is in the shape of the arch. Consider the most popular options and how to implement them.
Arch of the classical type: type and application
The most popular and widespread option is the Roman arch. Why roman? It was the Romans who first began to draw up the arch of the opening in the form of a semicircle. The classic arch allows you to realize any design ideas, it is a universal option.
A good solution would be to install a similar arch in the opening between the kitchen and the corridor. The last room is usually very narrow, which makes it impossible to use more complex shapes.
This design is most relevant for interiors in a classic style. If the aperture is supplemented with natural materials, which are exactly the calling card of classicism, the passage between the room and the kitchen can become simply amazing.
Similar decor looks both in rustic and Provencal style. No less successfully looks arch in the kitchen, decorated in a touch of minimalism. Probably, there is no such interior that would not fit the Roman design of the opening. The main thing is that its decoration is appropriate in your chosen style.
Features and application of the arch in the form of a portal
A rectangular arch is the simplest, laconic and stylish design solution. This option is great for apartments with low ceilings. It is most popular in those cases when the arch in the kitchen is put in place of the old door.
To equip the portal does not require complex work, expensive materials. The austerity and restraint of such an aperture is ideal for rooms decorated in styles:
- minimalism;
- classicism;
- Art Nouveau;
- loft;
- high tech.
An arched structure of this type can be barely noticeable, and can serve as the main decor of the room. It all depends on your chosen method of decoration.
English variety of arches
The arch in the English version is a kind of hybrid between the classic version and the portal. The design has two smooth side walls, which are slightly rounded up. Often, instead of walls, curly columns are used, connected by a rounded arched vault.
Such an arch is placed between the kitchen and the dining room. Use this option better in cases where the width of the opening is more than 2 meters. Large-sized structures with decorative elements in the form of stucco work look most impressive.
Unusual ideas for arches
The absence of restrictions in the design of openings allows you to create designs of the most unusual and sometimes even bizarre shapes. Modern arches can not only delimit space, but also act as a functional household item.
For example, when their side walls are equipped with through shelves and niches. This approach helps save space in the room and brings its own highlight to the interior.
The following types of openings look no less modern and elegant:
- in the shape of an ellipse;
- wave-like;
- in oriental style;
- in the form of a trapezoid;
- in the shape of a circle.
Also to the original solutions include arches with backlight. In the evening, a similar design acts as a source of background lighting.
In our article you can see examples of the most unusual arches in the kitchen. Photos clearly demonstrate all the luxury and sophistication of each look. Different materials can be used for their decoration, each of them has its own characteristics.
Plastic arches
A plastic arch in the kitchen is the easiest and most economical option. It is intended for registration of openings in the place of which there was a door. If you decide to equip a cost-effective arch yourself, finished plastic products are what you need!
PVC arch can be purchased at any hardware store. It is light weight, quick and easy to install. For interior design in high-tech style, minimalism, pop art, avant-garde and modern plastic is ideal. But in the designs with notes of Provence and Classicism, such a decor will look ridiculous.
Plaster constructions
Drywall arches in the kitchen can have both the simplest and the most non-standard look. Smooth material creates absolutely smooth surfaces that can be painted, plastered, coated with wallpaper and tiled with decorative tiles.
The opening can be decorated with lights, shelves with stained-glass windows, niches for storing things. Designs are subtle and elegant, massive and functional.
The arch between the kitchen and the living room, made of drywall, is assembled both in spacious and in small rooms. The pliable material allows you to create products that will ideally fit any interior.
Drywall arch decoration
The arched drywall construction itself is unattractive. To give it a finished look, you will need to finish its surfaces.
To begin with, the walls are putty, and then decorated with one of the following methods:
- staining;
- decorative painting;
- artificial stone cladding;
- ceramic finish;
- applying decorative plaster;
- the use of mosaics;
- brick cladding;
- decorating with plastic and polyurethane moldings;
- use of mirror and glass elements.
Often, for decorating the opening, a filament curtain for the arch is used. For a kitchen with a touch of oriental decoration, this option is very successful. Curtains made of threads, beads and glass perfectly outline the border between the two rooms, while not depriving the space of airiness and volume.
In the Art Nouveau style, the arch can be decorated with natural plants installed in side niches. In the avant-garde design, it will be appropriate to use finishes made of stone, gypsum or colored polyurethane.
Wood arch
The kitchen and living room with a natural wood arch are distinguished by their presentability, elegance and a sense of natural atmosphere. Wooden structures can be assembled according to the size of the opening or purchased in finished form.
The second option is often used in small apartments, where the width of the opening is standard. Such products are installed between the kitchen and the corridor, the kitchen and the living room.
In private homes, owners have the opportunity to decorate the interior with exclusive options, made and decorated in accordance with the wishes of the customer. Wooden arches may consist of carved columns and curly elements. Such varieties fill the interior with luxury, demonstrate the wealth and sophisticated taste of the owner.
Most often, wooden arches are used in the styles:
- baroque;
- Empire
- classicism;
- Art Nouveau;
- country;
- Renaissance.
The main feature of such products is that they do not need additional decoration. The cost of wooden arches is quite high, but once the varnished construction serves for many years, without requiring repair.
findings
The arch between the kitchen and the dining room is a great opportunity to zone the room without overloading it with brick walls. Do you want to divide the large kitchen into two separate spaces? Put the arch! Do you have a desire to expand a small room with the adjacent room? Use an arched structure for this!
Whatever style your interior is designed in, you will always find an option that fits perfectly into the surrounding space. Using the arch will incredibly transform your kitchen, add space and personality to it.